Phil Ivey has been referred to as the best poker competitor on the planet by many of the top pros. He was born in Riverside, CA and relocated to New Jersey before his first birthday. His papa taught Phil one cent-ante 5-Card Stud poker. From then on on, he was addicted to poker and wanted to pickup anything he could about the game. He routinely would tell his elders that he was planning on being a professional poker player. Phil did not permit the negative feedback from other people destroy his dream of becoming one of the greatest poker competitors in the world.
He began playing seriously after getting a false ID with the name of Jerome. He practiced his techniques at the casinos of Atlantic City. The beginning number of years for him were a teaching experience and coming away with a win was not a common thing at the time. Phil became known at the 2000 World Series of Poker where he achieved two final tables and won his first World Series of Poker bracelet, in a $2, five hundred Pot-Limit Omaha game. At the final table he defeated a number of the well known pros including but not limited to "Amarillo Slim" Preston, David "Devilfish" Ulliot, and Phil Hellmuth, Jr.
He decided to take his skills to the next level and moved out west to Vegas. He continues to compete in in "The Big Game" at the Bellagio with the best players in the world. Ivey credits his success to discipline and an eternal love for poker. Phil states that he’s picking up skills every single day and is quite humble about his achievements. He knows he makes errors every single session of poker and constantly strives to improve.
Despite the fact that Phil has come first in some big-time tournaments, he prefers winning money games on a regular basis.